I
s the very way we are designing and
building sustainable housing changing?
Many of us spend around 90 per cent of
our time indoors either at work or at home
so it’s important to maximise the benefits of
building products when renovating. The
idea behind sustainable housing is to work
with nature and not against it. Therefore
supplying the right roof window is crucial.
Choose from highly energy-efficient
windows to harness the sun’s energy
during those cooler months or units with
ventilation air inlets to provide regular
air flow.
When it comes to choosing the right
window you will find many differences
between product ranges. Some may appear
to look the same externally but they might
not have an efficient U-value performance,
which could have a negative impact. This is
just one of the distinctive features to
consider when incorporating roof windows
into a project.
Roof window possibilities
There are a number of pitched and flat roof
windows to suit personal preference and all
budgets. Manufactured in many forms such
as non-opening, electrical opening and fixed
options, there is a solution to cater for all
consumers and architects.
For instance, buildings that cannot be
extended due to cost concerns or other
matters may contemplate balcony windows
to enhance space and luxury. Balcony
windows allow you to ‘push the inside out,’
therefore increasing space within a room.
Additionally, they also allow a substantial
amount of natural light into the room.
Consisting of a bottom sash which can be
pushed open to create a balcony, the
balustrades also complement the design by
offering safety. Are you looking for an
energy-efficient balcony window solution?
These windows can be manufactured with
double or triple glazing.
One common problem we face, and that
must be addressed, are the levels of natural
light entering the room. Natural light
benefits the body by boosting its vitamin D
levels and helps to increase productivity
more so than artificially lit work spaces.
Rather than installing one large roof lantern
in the centre of the room, why not look into
the possibilities of integrating several roof
windows throughout the space? This will
draw in natural light from all angles and
reel in the benefits of having multiple
windows – and don’t forget the views too!
By supplying drawings this provides
technical teams and specifiers with a
holistic view of a project and allows them
to be involved in the conversation. This isSamantha Smith of Fakro GB discusses the ‘unrivalled’ choice that is now available
across the UK roof window market
Bespoke roof window solutions
EXTERNAL ENVELOPE 51ADF AUGUST 2019 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK